I had sun, wind and high water for the random anarchic walk on Monday morning. I made my way down Quayside and past the Sailing Club with WivGigs but already putting Varuna away after a morning social session.
I thought I would try something of a change of route. My plan was just to walk with no real intention guiding me apart from a work deadline looming three hours later.
I cut across the marsh, which takes you back up towards Alresford. The marshland was bone dry. It was littered with cowpats, which became quite an obstacle to overcome.
The terrain around here late summer is quite astonishing. Marsh has now become dust. It was only a few winters ago when we actually witnessed a couple of local kids lacing up their ice skates and gliding off effortlessly along the ice that had frozen over the marshland.
It was here when my route went a little wonky. I know, let’s go for a bit of a schlep through Cockaynes’s Wood I thought. I pretty much know all the paths inside out.
Wrong.
I reached one end of Cockaynes’s Wood and then found myself on an empty country lane. I kinda knew where I was but I decided to live dangerously and turn left rather than the usual right. There’s a life lesson in there, Jase.
The lane threw me out back onto the main road. It was pretty shit to be honest. I then stumbled across an unexpected public footpath, which should have taken me back roughly in the general direction of the town.
It was a really quiet and deserted path that was pretty much overgrown. There were a number of small little bridges to cross with absolutely nothing underneath them.
To my surprise the unexpected path brought me back to pretty much where I started, back in Cockaynes’s Wood. I wasn’t expecting that. At least I knew my directions. I made it back to base.
